PIE It Forward! Kindness Yard Sale 2020 Accounting Update

There’s a lot of negativity going around lately, what with Covid raging and the election almost a week away. So, I thought I should take a moment to update you on how I have used more of the money raised at the Kindness Yard Sale! Nothing like a bit of KINDNESS to take the edge off of a tense time. First off – PIES! “What??” you wonder. “Pies? What does PIE have to do with kindness?”. Well, I PIED IT FORWARD! More specifically, I went into our amazing local pie shop, Acme Pie, and left 2 cards (each with $40 in them) for the next 2 pie shoppers to come in. I figured the shoppers could get their pie with that money and use the left-over money to spring for some ice cream to put on top of the pie, a cheap bottle of wine to drink with it, or whatever else they wanted! I have no idea who came in after me to find that their pie had already been paid for, but I can only imagine it brought a smile to their face. 

Total spent: $80

Acme Pies in Arlington, VA are the BEST!

Next up – COFFEE! A neighbor is on furlough due to the pandemic, so has limited funds for groceries. The local grocery store had an amazing sale on bags of coffee, it was “buy 2, get 3 free”!!! PLUS we had a coupon! Well, I couldn’t pass that up! So we got lots and I left the bags of coffee on the neighbor’s doorknob. Boy was she happy. She said she would have enough coffee to last a good long time. 

Total spent: $16 

See this girl? Her name is Bella and she is 14 years old. Not only is she smart, she is also an entrepreneur. She has opened her own online business selling earrings that she creates from fun stuff!!! I donated $50 of the Kindness Yard Sale funds to help her buy more knick-knacks to create earrings. I wish her and her new earring shop well! If you are in the market for funky earrings, you can find her work here:  Bella's Earring Shop

Total spent: $50 

Bella and her dog

I am a sign language interpreter. Professionals in my field, like many others, have been hit hard by the pandemic. Many interpreters freelance – going to doctor appointments, therapy, business meetings, etc. And many of the settings where they normally work have been closed since March. This has meant no income. So, I used some of the yard sale money to donate to a fund started by RID (Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf). The money will be used to support interpreters in need. I am proud I am proud to say that as of tonight, 27 donors have raised over $6000 for the fund. If you would like to contribute to this fund, go here: https://secure.givelively.org/donate/registry-of-interpreters-for-the-deaf/covid-19-certified-interpreter-relief-fund Because interpreters are ESSENTIAL. 

Total spent: $50.40 

Image from the RID campaign

The other day I took myself out for breakfast at my favorite local coffee shop for the first time since Covid began. I sat at an outside table, but while I was inside waiting on my order I noticed a woman organizing school supplies by putting them into tote bags. She told me that her name was Anika and that she was starting a non-profit to help underserved youth in our community. She had run a Go Fund Me campaign, hoping to raise a lot of money to buy new school supplies for kids’ whose families could not afford them. Her Go Fund Me did not reach the goal she had hoped, but she was marching on anyway, making as many supply bags as she could. That sounded like just the kind of project that the kindness money was raised for, so I gave her $20 toward her cause. 

Total spent: $20 

Specially packed bags of brand new school supplies ready to be delivered

A woman in our county, Jaimee Wise, recently had a brain aneurism. Luckily, her young son noticed there was a problem and got help quickly. She is in a coma and the family will have a lot of medical bills, so $100 of the Kindness Yard Sale money went to a Go Fund Me for Jaimee. If you would like to help out, too, you can find the information here:  Go Fund Me for Jaimee Wise

Total spent: $100 

This is Tri. She lives in my community. She recently took a big step and sat for her lactation consultant exam. She, like me, is a nervous test taker. So BEFORE her test some Kindness money was used to get her a multi-amazonite bracelet (with the hopes the “woo woo energy” in it would help her be calm and take her test (the website says, If your nervous system tends to run away like wild horses over the hills, this Multi Amazonite Energy Bracelet is the ticket to temperance, hope and a happy can-do attitude. Amazonite is known as The Hope Stone, and this bracelet is comprised of specially selected stones that ebb and flow like sunlight on water and a thousand grains of sand on the shore.” Then, for AFTER her exam, I used a bit of money to get her a bottle of sparkling wine to celebrate. She doesn’t get her results until December, but I have a good feeling that she passed. 

Total spent: $23.99 

Tri, soon-to-be LACTATION CONSULTANT!

That’s it for now. More stories coming soon, including a re-telling of a recent Kindness Activist fundraiser – 2020 Sucks Bingo!! Until then, please keep spreading kindness. The world really needs it these days.  And if you know of someone that could use a little kindness, send me an email at:  kindnessactivist@gmail.com.  I am always looking for good ways to throw kindness around like glitter.

A Flood of Kindness

My friend Missy recently heard about my Kindness Activist project, and she immediately thought of one of her friends that she thought should be included.  “You have to write about Tiffany Taylor!!” she told me.  We then talked on Skype and she told me Tiffany’s story.  I think you will agree, Tiffany is indeed a Kindness Activist.  Here is what Missy told me:

In October 2015 there was a big flood in South Carolina.  It impacted many families, and Tiffany posted to a local Facebook page asking for specific items that some flood victims needed, like diapers, clothes, and supplies.  People agreed to donate the items, and Tiffany drove around to meet the donors and collect everything.  She then drove around a lot to deliver everything collected to those in need. 

Horrible flooding in South Carolina

Many people lost everything

Another example of her kindness was when she helped a local elderly man.  He had taken in a homeless person (an example of HIS kindness!) and then lost his mobile home to a fire.  Tiffany met with him in person to figure out what exactly he needed.  He said he would be perfectly fine with a used mobile home – he just needed a place with water and heat, no more.  So Tiffany set up a Go Fund Me page for him to help him, his pets, and the man he was assisting all get back on their feet. She checked in with him frequently and contacted electricians and other specialty type workers to assist this man. 

Tiffany also set up a community Facebook page.  Through it she can quickly reach out to 2,200+ members to let them know of things going on in our town, including if a crime is underway (such as a break-in, a suspect fleeing, or other suspicious activity.  This is a very valuable resource to our community.  She is also a crime watch informant.

As Missy said, “These things are only things that I have seen her do.  It is not a comprehensive list, I am sure she has done many more things that I am not aware of that are kind!  She is such a kind hearted person and I am sure that she will continue to do many more of these types of acts of kindness and helpfulness.”

So, when Missy explained all of that to me, I thought Tiffany rocked!!!  But then Missy told me (as Paul Harvey would say) the REST OF THE STORY.

Tiffany and her son Trey

“While Tiffany was so involved in crime watch, collecting and delivering items for flood victims, and raising money for someone else in need, unbeknownst to me she was self-employed and caring for 5 children!  Plus, her oldest son Trey (age 20) has had 13 brain surgeries since birth.  Four of his brain surgeries happened in three weeks’ time this winter.   She does not have medical insurance and is now facing huge medical bills.

Through all of that, she never once asked for help for herself.  She is all about helping OTHERS.  It is so inspiring."

Trey doing rehab

So, although this Kindness Activist project is not meant to advocate for any particular person or cause, I do want to share Tiffany’s Go Fund Me page with you.  She recently set it up (after Missy first told me her story) to try and cover some of the costs her son is incurring.   You can see it at https://www.gofundme.com/6tndw75g . If you would like to contact her you can do it on that page in the upper right-hand corner by clicking the email link.  And if you can spare a bit of money to help someone who typically helps others, I know she would appreciate it. 

Tiffany and Trey

Tiffany – thanks for being a Kindness Activist in your community.  You are appreciated.

If you know of a Kindness Activist, please tell me about them!  Shoot me an email at kindnessactivist@gmail.com .  Kindness SHARED will inspire others to go out into the world and be kind!